Behind the Headlines: The demise and rise of Newbridge Memo

AFTER more than a decade of tireless fundraising and renovating, work at the iconic Newbridge Memorial Hall is finally nearing completion.

Restoration work at the hall, affectionately known as the Memo, follows years of campaigning by local people to raise the funds, backed along the way by the Argus.

A completion date, which has been set at November 14 of this year, is music to the ears of one man who has overseen the makeover of one of Gwent’s most iconic cultural venues.

When threatened with permanent closure, Howard Stone and other local volunteers stepped in to begin the long process of retaining what was left of the building, and to get it back on its feet once again.

For Mr Stone and his colleagues, the prospect of selling the building to Wetherspoons, or even knocking it down altogether in order for a car park to be built there, was incomprehensible.

Celynen Collieries Institute and Memorial Hall – better known as the Newbridge Memo – is a set of grade II-listed buildings, located just off the town’s high street. It was originally built to commemorate the people who died during the First World War and was a hub for local miners throughout most of the 20th century.

Mr Stone said: “It was a very successful cinema and ballroom until the 1970s but then television took over and cinema sadly went downhill. The cinema at the Memo eventually closed in 1971.

“The ballroom kept going, but of course, after the closure of the mines, the miners themselves lost control of it; their social lives changed.

“In the end, unfortunately, it was down to mismanagement. The Memo was hopelessly in debt by the early part of the 21st century – it just had to close down.

“But the sudden threat of selling it on or knocking it down brought a group of us together. Friends of the Newbridge Memo reopened it in April/May 2003. We started off with just a few little events but once people saw we were serious, it took off and snowballed from there.”

Mr Stone agreed to the role of chairman of trustees following a public meeting in the town more than a decade ago, when the town’s strength of feeling about the glorious but run-down former dance hall and cinema became obvious.

Soon after Friends of the Newbridge Memo began, an opportunity arose for the Memo to enter Restoration, a BBC competition, which offered £3 million to the building most worthy of a financial boost to aid its makeover. But the Memo narrowly missed out and its volunteers were almost back to square one.

“We came back and had a meeting together shortly after the Restoration programme to decide where we would go from there,” Mr Stone added.

“We decided we would carry on and I’m so glad we did. People have been so supportive and we have had a lot of help and support from the Argus as well, I’d like to point that out.”

Support came from all directions though, including Caerphilly County Borough Council, with the Memo forming a major part of the local authority’s £12 million regeneration of Newbridge.

But the 11 year-long struggle to refurbish the building has not been without incident. The project has suffered several setbacks along the way since it closed in January 2003 (see timeline).

It was announced earlier this year that work on the Memo had been delayed by a couple of months due to the “horrendous” winter weather, according to Mr Stone.

Mr Stone added: “We have had a few snags along the way, but it is finally coming to an end now.”

Plenty of well-known figures have thrown their support behind the campaign over the years including former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, Falklands hero Simon Weston, rock superstars the Manic Street Preachers and former local MP Lord Don Touhig. The Celtic Manor, owned by Newbridge-born Sir Terry Matthews, also helped the bid.

But one man who will be more relieved than most, says he hopes the Memo will return to its glory days of the 20th century.

Mr Stone said the Memo will be “absolutely stunning” when it is finally completed in November. A concert has been arranged for November 22 to mark its official opening.

Mr Stone added: “It was once a hub for film and music and we hope it will be so once again.”

If you would like to help Newbridge Memo during any upcoming events, or volunteer, contact 01495 243252.

TIMELINE: The demise and rise of Newbridge Memo

January 2003 – Newbridge Memo closes after it is crippled by debts following years of mismanagement.

April/May 2003 – The Memo is re-opened by a group of volunteers who do not want the building to be sold. Small events are held at the venue.

July 2004 – Argus becomes official newspaper partner of the restoration campaign, which is spearheaded by Friends of the Newbridge Memo.

August 2004 – The Memo loses out on the £3 million prize from BBC’s Restoration programme. It came a close second to the Old Grammar School and Saracen's Head at King's Norton Green Birmingham. Volunteers meet soon after and decide to continue despite the setback.

March 2007 – Fundraising for the Newbridge Memo receives a major boost after Welsh historic monuments body Cadw handed over £130,000. Officials visited the Art Deco style Miners Institute and Memorial Hall and decided they wanted to support restoration efforts. They earmarked the cash to go towards repairing the roof. The Welsh Government, Caerphilly County Borough Council and the Big Lottery follow suit with funding.

February 2008 - Friends of the Newbridge Memo are told funds to restore the historic building will be slashed by the Heritage Lottery because of the diversion of funds to the 2012 London Olympics.

The group re-think their plans and say they will have to put the restoration of the old cinema on hold until at least 2012 to cut the project costs to just £3.2 million.

July 2009 - Caerphilly council grant permission for the landmark building to be restored to its former glory. At a planning meeting, the council agreed that refurbishment and repair work on the Memorial Hall and the Celynen Collieries Workmen’s Institute buildings should go ahead. Plans include an information resource centre, meeting rooms and a function room to be installed at the institute. Meanwhile the memorial hall next door will have its ballroom retained but its auditorium, which was previously used as a cinema and theatre, will be restored and a seating block will be installed. It is also announced there are plans to build a new link between the institute and the hall.

July 2010 - Work to restore Newbridge's historic Memo takes a step closer after campaigners secure £2.9 million of Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) cash.

November 2010 - Thousands of pounds worth of damage is caused to the Memo after thieves stripped lead from its roof, letting in torrential rain to flood the building. The theft led to the roof above the coffee bar and kitchen falling in, with water pouring down stairs and leaving the room under an inch of water.

January 2012 – Officials are given a first glimpse of work undertaken at the Memo. Representatives of heritage body Cadw and housing, regeneration and heritage minister Huw Lewis meet architects at the venue.

November 2012 - Phase one of the £5.6 million restoration of Newbridge Memo is put back to March 2013 – around three months later than planned. Mr Stone said bad weather set work back, while the construction firm working there found it to be a more complex job than first envisaged.

July 2013 - The first phase of the £5.6m Newbridge Memorial Hall is officially unveiled by Manic Street Preachers frontman, and former Memo employee, James Dean Bradfield. He describes the huge role Newbridge Memo has played in his career, comparing his time there to "the price of an education”.

September 2014 – November 14 is set as the completion date for the Memo with contractors working seven days a week to complete the auditorium.